Obituary of Maria DaRosa

Maria (Dias) DaRosa, passed away at the Wilmington Health Care, on Monday afternoon, May 21, 2012. The beloved wife of the late Domingos DaRosa, she was 85 years old. Maria was born and raised in Portugal. She was the daughter of the late Manuel and Maria Dias. Maria met her late husband Domingos while living in Portugal. They lived for a number of years in Brazil and Canada before eventually settling in Burlington. Maria worked for over 19 years as a housekeeper at Choate Hospital in Woburn. Maria was not one to sit still. She was a talented seamstress and enjoyed knitting, crocheting and making lace doilies. Her garden was her pride and joy with her tomatoes being her specialty which she shared with her family, friends and neighbors. Maria was the beloved wife of the late Domingos. She was the loving sister of Ann Rezendes of Burlington, Isabel Korth of VT, Beatriz Lacedra of NM, and the late Manuel Dias. Maria is also survived by many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. Visiting hours will be held at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON (Exit 34 off Rt. 128, Woburn side) on Tuesday, May 29 from 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Margaret’s Church, 111 Winn St., Burlington at 12 Noon. Interment in Chestnut Hill Cemetery Burlington. Memorials in Maria’s name may be made to the Burlington Council on Aging, 61 Center St., Burlington, MA 01803. Words from Alan Tia Maria (Maria DaRosa) Remembrance Our most recent memories are from our visits with Maria at Wilmington Healthcare Center, where I think she had settled into a new life. My earlier memories take me back to her little house on Carlton Ave, that house was really one of the great loves of her life. From cleaning out the house, Mary & I ended up with Maria’s photo albums, which were full of treasures and helped tell a story of what was important to Maria and tells a lot about who she was. There are lots of pictures of kitchens and smiling people with food. Even one picture of three of the sisters together all cooking on one very crowded stove! Mary remembers how much Maria loved to cook and how she would never allow you to visit without her feeding you something. There are also pictures of celebrations, graduations and just people smiling together. All her family, especially the nieces and nephews and their kids were all very, very important to her. Also when we were visited her house, after she no longer lived there, we learned from the neighbors who stopped by to speak to us, that her neighbors were also part of that extended family she treasured. That neighborhood support made it possible for her to live in her treasured house for as long as she did. Neighbors and gardens: her tomatoes, I think she was known in the neighborhood as “the tomato lady”, fruit trees, the wonderful grape arbor & her Dahlias! Also from the photos I was reminded she led a pretty interesting life: as a girl from Faial to living in Brazil and Canada before ending up on Carlton Ave. There’s a wonderful little picture of the four sisters that neither Mary nor I had ever seen before – four smiling young Portuguese gals! Also there are early pictures of Maria and Domingos. I can never forget what a wonderful and welcoming couple they were. Even though he’s been gone almost forty years, my memories of Domingos are strong and the pictures of them together helped re-enforce those memories. I particularly like the one of Maria & Domingos cleaning the fish in the “kiddie-pool”, used by Manny & Ana’s dog Tiger. The pool is full of fish and the joy of the catch is written on their faces. There are also more family celebrations: little Wilson in the kitchen, Maria is in her hospital work dress, Mary’s high school graduation, Maria and Domingos with their godchild Sandra (you know it’s a very special event because Maria is wearing lipstick, something she rarely did) and the group picture we took of the three sisters at Denise’s wedding. These were the times that were important to her. We found in her albums copies of our Christmas cards with pictures of our kids that I’m not even sure we have copies of! She lived in her house as long as it was safe for her to do so. We certainly knew that’s what she wanted. Still I think she had some good years in the Wilmington Healthcare too. She was always happy to see us and appreciative when we visited. There’s a picture with her smile from one of our visits there. She was a private, religious and determinately independent woman. I think she would be pleased that we have gathered together to celebrate her life.